In early days of Melbourne newspapers much of the content consisted of lost and found advertisements interspersed by occasional news stories, including some of events happening elsewhere in the world. Some of the lost items might seem very small or trivial and potentially impossible to find given the landscapes in which they were lost. In contrast, other advertised lost items, particularly lost animals and people, could presage tragic consequences. It was difficult to find if any of the losses were recovered so there are many unfinished stories in the poem. Lost, Stolen or Strayed? draws on edits of many published short texts from the The Melbourne Advertiser, 1838; The Melbourne Argus, 1846 and The Melbourne Daily News, 1848 – 1851. No words have been added. I hope you will find it as fascinating to read as I did to research and write this third found poem.
Photo by Filip Urban on Unsplash
Sue Dymoke Poetry 